Sharp Axes Galapagos Tablet Models, Focuses on Japan

By Jeff Gamet

Sep 15th, 2011 2:31 PM EDT

Sharp’s Galapagos tablet line seems to be on the losing end of the survival of the fittest rule with the company dropping two of the tablet’s three sizes, and scaling the third back to just Japan distribution. The electronics maker launched its Android-based Galapagos tablets in December 2010, but hasn’t been able to gain market traction.

Sharp’s Galapagos: Almost extinct

Sharp plans to discontinue its 5.5-inch and 10.8-inch Galapagos tablets on September 30, but will continue to sell the 7-inch model in Japan, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The company had hoped its tablets would pose a threat to Apple’s market dominance with the iPad, but consumers failed to find the devices compelling enough to sway them away from Apple’s offerings.

Sharp isn’t the only company having trouble competing with the iPad. HP recently threw in the towel and discontinued its TouchPad tablet after only 49 days on the market, and RIM still can’t gain any traction with its PlayBook.

For now, at least, it looks like Apple’s iPad will remain the Tablet Rex.